Beyond the tranquil campus of St. Freya Academy, the light curtain gently swayed, as if whispering through time and space. Inside, Kiana Kaslana and Theresa stood side by side, the unwavering voices of Raiden Mei and Kiana echoing from the video.
The two exchanged a smile, a smile brimming with deep pride and comfort, as if witnessing the brilliance of a younger generation’s growth.
At the perfect moment, Theresa lightly parted her lips, a playful smile gracing her features as she said, “Heh, this is definitely their style—always shoulder to shoulder, no matter the time or place. But isn't this the kind of team spirit we hope to see? When the three of them come together as one force, the efficiency in solving problems will surely multiply.”
As Theresa spoke, Kiana Kaslana’s eyes also gleamed with agreement. She nodded slightly, her voice filled with trust, “Indeed. The three of them each possess extraordinary abilities and willpower, but even more important is their unwavering support for each other and their commitment to facing challenges together. With them, no matter what challenge they face, they’ll find a solution.”
As their seniors, Theresa and Kiana Kaslana believed in the power of the Kiana trio from the bottom of their hearts, trusting in their bond!
......
At this moment, the video continued to flow, the girls' explanations like a gentle stream, gradually seeping into the heart of the Herrscher of Consciousness.
Although she still held a trace of imperceptible doubt deep within, her respect for individual choice and the right to self-determination ultimately led her to acknowledge their proposal in silence.
Their analysis, while seemingly naive, was not without its logic and insight.
Under these circumstances, the Herrscher of Consciousness had to admit that their words were not entirely without merit.
So, she slowly nodded in agreement with the girls' ideas.
“Fine, I don’t care.
Lending out your power, or connecting to the Thought Space…
…For the Herrscher of Consciousness, it makes no difference.
So, cut to the chase, how exactly are you planning to do this?
Don’t tell me you’re going to spend an hour or two on a deep fusion?
Time is limited!!!”
Although the Herrscher of Consciousness had acknowledged the girls' proposal, the reality of the situation remained daunting.
Time was like a sword hanging over their heads, each passing second felt urgent and unsettling.
More importantly, based on current estimates, the remaining time was clearly insufficient to support the simultaneous birth of three Herrschers of the End.
........
Facing the Herrscher of Consciousness’s renewed urging, the girls’ expressions were surprisingly calm, as if they already had a plan.
Bronya even shook her head lightly, speaking with a steady and confident tone.
“Not necessarily… based on our recent experiences.
The state we need to achieve is similar to what we did during our confrontation with the Herrscher of Domination.
To be more specific, it means making Kiana the medium connecting all of us.”
It’s true, in the past, for the girls to achieve “deep fusion,” it would have been a long and complicated process requiring a lot of time and effort. However, they had gone through countless trials and tribulations, achieving an almost “perfect” state. This transformation had significantly reduced the difficulty of “deep fusion,” and the time needed had been significantly shortened.
However, Bronya’s confident words left the Herrscher of Consciousness slightly confused. She scratched her head, clearly still unable to fully grasp the specifics of this change.
.........
Seeing this, Kiana stepped forward in time. Her voice was gentle and firm, clearing up the Herrscher of Consciousness's confusion.
“Just this time, besides the three of us, it’s not the Dorm Leader we need…
…It’s you… the Herrscher of Consciousness!”
As Kiana spoke, she put her hands on her hips, unconsciously adding a bit of weight to her tone. However, this wasn’t meant to create a serious atmosphere, but rather a casual and direct way of emphasizing the irreplaceable importance of the Herrscher of Consciousness in this collaboration.
Her eyes held sincerity and understanding. It was clear she had keenly grasped the Herrscher of Consciousness's deep desire—the need to be acknowledged and needed.
As Kiana and Fu Hua, partners of the Herrscher of Consciousness, they knew how to cleverly “utilize” this “weakness” to stimulate the Herrscher of Consciousness’s greater potential and initiative.
..........
Of course, the Herrscher of Consciousness didn't miss the deeper meaning behind Kiana's words. She felt an unprecedented sense of being valued and needed.
Deep down, a warm current quietly surged within her, bringing a hint of indescribable joy.
But even so, she maintained a façade of composure and seriousness, responding with a deliberately nonchalant tone.
“Uh…哼, whatever!”
“Ahem… I said time is precious.
Who’s going first?”
Although time seemed plentiful, Raiden Mei knew that any delay could bring unnecessary risks, especially since Kevin was still waiting for the outcome of their actions.
Raiden Mei lightly took a step forward, a warm and unwavering smile gracing her face. She turned to the Herrscher of Consciousness and said.
“Heh… besides the Herrscher of Origin, is there a better choice?”
As the bearer of the power of “Origin,” Raiden Mei was undoubtedly the most suitable choice for the “beginning.” As her words fell, it was as if an invisible force was driving a change of scene. The screen instantly switched from the previous dialogue scene to a vast, boundless starry sky.
In this glittering sea of stars, the stars were scattered like pearls, glimmering with alluring brilliance. At the same time, a voiceover slowly began, accompanied by soft and mysterious background music. A string of descriptive subtitles gracefully appeared on the screen.
【“What is the power of Origin?” The first Herrscher of Human, clearly didn’t want to explain this with language.】
【Cold, hard technology and knowledge are best left for textbooks to teach.】
【Later, “you” will witness the traces of our lives, the imprint of our souls, and find your own answers within them.】
【Perhaps at that time, Raiden Mei hadn’t fully grasped the true meaning of these words…】
【But right now, her actions following her intuition have already set everything in motion.】
In those subtitles, the praises of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers continued to appear one after another on the screen…
“May the Beast of Gathering love you, grant you the freedom of ‘Empty Dream.’"
“May the Feather of Crossing Dust love you, grant you the perseverance of ‘Floating Life.’"
“May the Scroll of Painting the World love you, grant you the innocence of ‘Stars.’"
“May the Serpent of Devouring the World love you, grant you the yearning of ‘Infinity.’"
“May the Whistle of Dawn love you, grant you the will of ‘Sunrise.’"
“May the Blade of Centimeter-Cutting love you, grant you the decisiveness of ‘Moment.’"
“May the Eye of Good Law love you, grant you the wisdom of ‘Sky Comet.’"
“May the Blaze of Calamity love you, grant you the sincerity of ‘Annihilation.’"
“May the Box of Foolish Play love you, grant you the miracle of ‘Spiral.’"
“May the Song of Splendor love you, grant you the brilliance of ‘Gold.’"
“May the Threshold of Deep Sin love you, grant you the love of ‘Precept.’"
“May the Sword of No-Ash love you, grant you the ideal of ‘Salvation.’"
“May the Flawless One love you, grant you the return of ‘True Self’!”
Raiden Mei, as the Herrscher of Origin, had a complex and profound connection with the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. In this civilization cycle, her connection with the Flame-Chasers was anything but ordinary. It was precisely this special connection that intertwined her destiny with the grand ambitions of the Flame-Chasers.
It’s worth noting that Raiden Mei’s journey of transformation is inseparable from the ‘ambition’ passed down and conveyed by Ai-chan from the Thirteen Flame-Chasers.
This ambition is not just the Flame-Chasers' hope and vision for the future, but also the crystallization of their beliefs and strength…